Brussels, 23/02/2016 (Agence Europe) - In her working document on controlling the acquisition and possession of arms that she presented to the European Parliament Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO) on Tuesday 23 February, Vicky Ford MEP (ECR, United Kingdom) proposed that a firearms ban should be based on the characteristics of the arms in question and not their appearance.
The provisions put forward by the European Commission on 18 November last (see EUROPE 11433) include an amendment to the 91/477/EEC Directive on the circulation of firearms for civilian use in European Union territory. This therefore adds the following to category A: banned firearms (except when specific authorisation is given) - automatic firearms converted into semiautomatic firearms, as well as semiautomatic civilian firearms that have the appearance of an automatic firearm. The Commission is also proposing to include in category C (which includes firearms subject to declaration and use mainly for hunting), alarm weapons (a firearm used in attacks against Charlie Hebdo was a kind of “re-converted” weapon), salute weapons and replicas. On this point, in order to improve the effectiveness of the directive, the rapporteur is proposing to concentrate on the technical characteristics of the firearms based on the new definition provided by the Commission concerning the “essential components” such as the cylinder, frame, receiver and barrel, etc. The rapporteur is therefore proposing to clarify the European Commission's definition.
During the debates, MEPs focused on specific cases involving collectors and sport shooting, as well as the question of online sales. The Commission wants to apply the directive to collectors, who will therefore have to make a declaration involving any new acquisitions. On this point, some MEPs said that the draft was too binding and penalised citizens who adhered to legal practices. Other MEPs, on the contrary, believe that collectors should not be subject to the same requirements as museums and that the latter fulfilled an essential state-controlled social role.
Similar considerations affected the question of those shooting for sport. Some MEPs believe that in this connection, the Commission proposal was not meeting its objective and was restricting the “legal” activities of citizens. Andreas Schwab (EPP, Germany) issued a warning on this subject. He believes that they should not simply focus on the terrorist threat but also on the potential risk posed by possessing these kinds of weapons.
On the question of online sales, Ford is proposing that parcel deliveries, as well as identity checks of the purchaser and verification of the purchase authorisation in the premises of the arms seller or broker take place in a police station or body authorised by member states. The proposal was received positively.
A public hearing with experts will be organised on 15 March next. MEPs are hoping to adopt the report in the committee meeting on 27 June next. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)